Service Robots See Global Growth Boom – IFR reports

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The total number of service robots sold for professional use reached almost 200,000 units in 2024, marking a 9% increase. Staff shortages are a key driver for companies to use robots designed for trained professionals. At the same time, the growing elderly population is increasing demand for medical robots. These findings are presented in the World Robotics 2025 Service Robots report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

“There is strong demand for service robots in a number of different application areas,” says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “In order to integrate automation without making a heavy upfront investment, more and more companies are deciding to enter into subscription or rental agreements rather than purchasing robots outright. The robot-as-a-service fleet (RaaS) has grown impressively by 31%.”

Top applications for professional service robots by units sold

With 102,900 units (+14%) sold in 2024, more than every other professional service robot was built for the application class transportation and logistics. These robots cover mainly mobile robots for the transport and handling of goods.

Hospitality robots remain second place with more than 42,000 sold – down 11%. Robots for mobile guidance, information points in public environments and telepresence account for the majority of these robots.

The market for professional cleaning robots, in third place, grew by 34% to more than 25,000 units sold. The main application is floor cleaning.

Sales of agricultural robots rank fourth and contracted slightly by 6% with close to 19,500 units sold. The decrease was mainly driven by cultivation and milking.

For the application group of search & rescue, security robots, a total number of 3,100 units were sold in 2024, placing it in fifth position up 19%.

Sales of medical robots increased strongly by 91% to around 16,700 units in 2024.

Service robots for consumer use have experienced a solid growth rate of 11% with close to 20 million units sold in 2024. Robots for domestic tasks (floor cleaning, lawn mowing etc.) were by far the largest group of consumer robots.

Please note: World Robotics Service Robots report is sample data. Compiling or comparing data from different World Robotics Reports is strongly discouraged.

FULL TEXT at: https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/

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